Pete Davidson has shared that the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, is proving to be a more difficult milestone for him due to his new role as a father.
His father, Scott Davidson, was a New York City firefighter who was 33 years old when he died along with his entire unit while responding to the World Trade Center attacks. Pete Davidson was seven at the time of his father's death.
"Honestly, this year is way harder than it’s been in a really long time because I have Scottie, and now I’m the age that my dad was when he died. So I’m just kind of like: 'Holy s***,'" Davidson told the New York Post. He will also turn 33 in November.
Davidson and his then-girlfriend Elsie Hewitt welcomed a baby girl in December, whom they named Scottie. The name serves as a tribute to his late father and also references their daughter's conception in Scotland.
"I thought: 'Oh, he was an old guy. He’s 33.' But now I’m there, and I have a kid, and that would be like my kid not having her dad," Davidson reflected. "So this year is extra tough, but also extra beautiful because I get to spend the day with Scottie. It’ll be very healing and special."
He added that he looks forward to sharing stories and memories of his father with his daughter. "I have old videos and pictures and stuff, and I’m excited to share the classic stories I have of him with her."
Davidson recalled an instance where his infant daughter seemed to acknowledge his father's presence. "When Scottie was first born, we’d give her a bath in the sink, and there’s a picture of my dad above the sink. She would always stare at it." After moving the picture to a different location, Davidson observed that Scottie still turns her head to look at it, which he finds meaningful. "I don’t know what I believe in, but I like to think that his presence is somehow around."
He also expressed gratitude to Hewitt for agreeing to name their daughter Scottie. "It was really cool that Elsie also wanted to name her Scottie. My dad’s name was Scott, but his nickname was Scotty," he noted. "When she arrived, we both looked at her and were like: 'She looks like a Scottie.' It’s nice to keep that name alive."
Davidson's pivot to fatherhood followed a period of high-profile relationships. He and Hewitt had publicly announced her pregnancy in April 2025. As he embraced fatherhood, Davidson reportedly spent $200,000 on tattoo removal.
However, reports of relationship difficulties between Davidson and Hewitt surfaced in May 2026, and the couple officially split later that month. Prior to Hewitt, Davidson had relationships with celebrities including Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Kate Beckinsale, and Kaia Gerber.
In 2022, Davidson had spoken on Kevin Hart's talk show "Hart to Hart" about how his father's death influenced his desire to have children. "Since my dad died, I was like: 'Oh, I can't wait to have a kid,'" he said at the time. "The reasoning was like: I don't want a kid to ever feel like how I feel right now."